PWD and PIDC Award $4.7 Million in Grants

These Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) grants will promote green stormwater management practices on private and non-profit properties resulting in the planned development of 77 greened acres. The SMIP grant is an important component of PWD’s Green City Clean Waters Plan that includes an ambitious goal to covert 9,500 impervious acres to “green acres” that capture and manage the first one inch of stormwater runoff to achieve beautiful, fishable, clean and healthy rivers and streams.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 09, 2013

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) have awarded $4.7 million in grants to promote green stormwater management practices in a highly competitive selection process.

Launched in January 2012, the Stormwater Management Incentives Program (SMIP) grant program is designed to be a catalyst for transforming large, commercial impervious properties that generate high volumes of stormwater runoff and burden the City’s sewer system and waterways into properties that build and maintain green stormwater management practices. These practices include rain gardens, vegetated infiltration basins, porous asphalt, and green roofs.

The SMIP grant is an important component of PWD’s Green City Clean Waters Plan that includes an ambitious goal to covert 9,500 impervious acres to “green acres” that capture and manage the first one inch of stormwater runoff to achieve beautiful, fishable, clean and healthy rivers and streams. The grant will also allow businesses, institutions and other non-residential customers to reduce their stormwater rates by providing funding for the design and implementation of these green infrastructure projects and to join the City of Philadelphia in its quest to be the greenest city in the nation.

Projects were evaluated based on a variety of criteria with cost effective green acres bearing the highest percentage of points. From the 31 applications received by the February submission date, 17 applications met the primary criteria in addition to offering innovative and inspiring green stormwater management solutions that can demonstrate similar opportunities on other public and private sites.

“This grant program is a win-win for the Water Department and for our business customers who have been impacted by an increase in stormwater fees resulting from our parcel based fee for stormwater,” stated Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug. “By working with customers who can manage stormwater from many acres of hard surfaces – and ideally public runoff from streets – we can transform pockets of our combined sewer areas into green acres in a cost effective way. This is the best example of a public/private partnership.”

The 17 projects result in the creation of 77 green acres. One green acre will manage at least the first inch of rainfall over an acre that drains to a common stormwater management practice.

"PIDC supports PWD's progressive stormwater management initiatives which use green strategies to reduce stormwater runoff," stated John Grady, President of PIDC. "Through the SMIP grant program, PIDC is excited to partner with PWD to help local business owners mitigate the economic impact of PWD's stormwater initiatives while also increasing the City's green space.”

The winning projects include:

Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Award Amount: $91,000
Locations: 101 E Erie Ave, 109 E Tabor Road, 111 E Tabor Road, 1200 E Cayuga Street, 4716 Leiper Street
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council will be working with various property owners to design and construct rain gardens, cisterns, porous pavement and disconnected roof leaders at 5 different sites, which together collect runoff from approximately 70,724 square feet of directly connected impervious area. Project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the combined sewer and an improvement in stormwater quality discharging from the property.

Cardone
Award Amount: $2,500,000
Location: 5400 Whitaker Avenue
Cardone Industries proposes 4 stormwater facilities to treat runoff from all of the impervious areas on the parcel, amounting to approximately 50 acres. The stormwater BMPs include a mixture of surface detention or infiltration basins and underground storage facilities. Project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the receiving combined sewer and improved stormwater quality runoff discharging from the property.

Globe Dye Works
Award Amount: $17,000
Location: 4520-40 Worth Street
Globe Dye Works proposes to capture rainwater in an existing tank and reuse for processes within the building. The installation will initially address 10,200 square feet of roof and capture 6387 gallons. The tank has the capacity to hold 40% more than the amount, and future plans include capturing the water from adjacent roofs. Project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the PWD combined sewer and a reduction in potable water demand for Globe Dye Works.

Settlement Music School
Award Amount: $140,000
Location: 6128 Germantown Avenue
Settlement proposes to create a rain garden with a bio-infiltration component to capture and infiltrate the water quality storm along with the higher intensity storms from on-site and off-site drainage areas. Attenuated flows will be discharged to the combined sewer from approximately 1.88 acres of impervious area. The intended design will reduce flows to the combined sewer, reducing flooding on adjoining properties and provide a significant quality of life improvement for the abutting neighbors.

Philabundance
Award: $237,313
Location: 3600-3646 S Galloway Street
Philabundance proposes to collect the first inch of runoff from 1.12 acres of impervious area and treat it via 6 planted bioretention basins. This will result in a 4290 cubic foot runoff reduction to the City’s combined sewer during each 1” rain storm and add approximately 4200 square feet of green space to the property.

Community College of Philadelphia
Award Amount: $260,000
Location: 1600 – 1700 Spring Garden Street
The College proposes to collect and treat 1.5” of runoff from 115,000 square feet of impervious surfaces. During an expected 1.5” rain storm, 107,352 gallons will be diverted from the City’s combined sewer and managed on-site. The proposed improvements include greening along the 17th Street corridor and interception of drainage from 17th Street and existing buildings on the College’s campus into an underground infiltration basin.

West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools
Award Amount: $242,000
Location: 242 S 47th, 4701-11 Spruce, 4713-21 Spruce
The Greening Lea project proposes the implementation of green stormwater management infrastructure at the Lea School, a public school in West Philadelphia. The improvements would capture 1.5” of stormwater from 105,479 square feet of impervious area from the school roof, playground and adjacent streets, removing the burden from the City’s combined sewer system and encouraging infiltration. The green infrastructure includes a large rain garden, an underground detention area,and vegetated curb bump-outs at the corners of Locust and Spruce on 27th Street.

Wharton Street Lofts, LP
Award Amount: $79,500
Location: 1148 Wharton Street
Wharton Street Lofts proposes the installation of a semi-intensive green roof, the construction and implementation of a rain garden in the parking lot, the installation of 2 subsurface infiltration beds in the drive isles, depaving, the creation of additional landscaped areas, the planting of street trees and the integration of a rainwater capture and reuse system. In addition to the stormwater management benefits, this project will also stand as an example of how adding sustainable features to a project can improve it in general and may also increase the amount of green development in a particular neighborhood.

FoCA – School District of Philadelphia
Award Amount: $232,000
Location: 800 S 20th Street
The Chester A. Arthur School has the unique opportunity to become a model for positive transformation for the rest of Philadelphia, its public schools and, potentially, the nation. Friends of Chester Arthur (FoCA) plans to renovate the Arthur schoolyard into a state-of-the-art, multi-faceted playground and outdoor teaching lab that incorporates a variety of stormwater management practices.

Francisville Seniors
Award Amount: $31,250
Location: 1708 Ridge Avenue
Francisville Seniors proposes the design and construction of 4 rain gardens to collect runoff from approximately 14,000 square feet of rooftop, sidewalk and parking areas. The project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the City’s combined sewer and an improvement in stormwater quality discharging from the property.

Lindy Property Management
Award Amount: $165,000
Location: 1100 W Godfrey Avenue, 900 E Johnson Street
The proposed project includes the design and construction of 4 rain gardens, which together collect runoff from approximately 72,825 square feet of rooftop, parking, driveway and sidewalk areas. Benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the City’s combined sewer and an improvement in stormwater quality discharging from the property.

Novick Brothers
Award Amount: $279,000
Location: 3660 S Lawrence Street
The Novick Brothers project proposes the design and construction of 5 individual stormwater management facilities including rain gardens, a cistern and depaving, which collectively manage approximately 121,032 square feet of impervious area from roof and parking areas. Project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the City’s combined sewer and an improvement in stormwater quality discharging from the property.

Trustees of the Presbytery of Philadelphia
Award Amount: $73,000
Location: 808 Red Lion Road
The proposed stormwater project at Bethesda Church includes the design and construction of 5 individual rain gardens to collect runoff from approximately 52,400 square feet of rooftop and parking areas. Project benefits include reduced volume to the City’s separate storm sewer system and improved water quality.

Adams Run
Award Amount: $100,000
Location: 155 E Godfrey Avenue
The Adams Run stormwater retrofit project includes the design and construction of rain gardens to collect runoff from 48,474 square feet of rooftop and hardscaped pedestrian areas. Project benefits include a reduction in runoff volume to the City’s separate storm sewer system and improved water quality.

Rampar Associates, LP
Award Amount: $214,000
Location: 13410-20 Damar Drive
The stormwater project at Rampar Associates proposes to capture the first 1” of runoff from approximately 2.14 acres of impervious surfaces on the property through a combination of infiltration trenches, rain gardens and depaving. Project benefits include improved stormwater quality and reduced volume to the City’s separate storm sewer system.

Roxborough High School
Award Amount: $50,000
Location: 6300 Ridge Avenue
The intent of the project at Roxborough High School is to determine the stormwater management solutions best suited to reduce erosion and reconstruct the school’s lower athletic field. Preliminary research indicates that possible solutions include cisterns and rain gardens to manage and reuse stormwater, thereby reducing runoff to the sewer system and pollution to the watershed.